1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a CD (compact disc) system. More specifically, the present invention is directed to such a CD system arranged by that while a virtual CD-R (compact disc recordable) system (involving a virtual CD-R drive and a virtual CD-R disc) is constructed in a storage means such as a computer hard disk drive provided in a computer and this accessible virtual CD-R system is recognized as a CD-R drive from CD-R writing software, a virtual CD-R is constituted in accordance with the structural requirement of the compact disc, and also an actual CD-R can also be formed (duplicated) by utilizing the formed virtual CD-R as a master compact disc.
2. Prior Art
In an earlier stage, CDs (compact discs) have been marketed as music CD (CD-Digital Audio), and have been widely popularized.
Since such music CDs are popularized in the worldwide market, these CDs could constitute very low-cost media, and therefore, these CD media could be widely marketed as CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory) designed for computers. While various features owned by these CDs are realized, for instance, easy random accessible functions and non-rewritable functions, the CDs could be progressed with employment of various formats. This sort of CD-ROM is manufactured in the mass production manner by introducing the stamping method in view of low cost aspect. This CD-ROM owns such a structural feature that only data writing operation is allowable, but data cannot be additionally written thereinto but also cannot be deleted therefrom.
A CD-R which has been marketed as a rewritable (recordable) CD is manufactured in such a manner that while an exclusively-used CD-R drive is used, data is written into an exclusively-used medium having a rewritable structure by using a laser under control of CD-R writing software so as to finally form a desirable CD. This CD may be read in the normal manner by employing the normal CD-ROM drive. However, in accordance with the principle idea, it is practically impossible to delete only such a data portion which is random accessed within the once written data. A data arrangement of a CD-ROM which may constitute a portion of structural requirements of a CD is shown in FIG. 1(A), and is given as follows: A lead-in data portion, data, and a lead-out data portion are arranged from an inner peripheral side of the CD-ROM disc in this order. In a CD-R, as represented in FIG. 1(B), two areas constituted by both a PCA (Power Calibration Area) and a PMA (Program Memory Area) are formed in an inner peripheral portion of an area where data is recorded. In the lead-in data area, a TOC (Table Of Contents) is written and this TOC indicates a track number (track quantity), and address information (both starting position and end position) of a track. The lead-out data area indicates that final data of this CD-R is reached. In a practical case, no sound data is written into the lead-out data area. Also, the PCA area corresponds to an area where intensity of laser during data writing operation is controlled. The PMA area corresponds to an area which is used to record such data indicative of both starting position/ending position of a written track. The address information described in the TOC is rewritten from the PMA area.
The CD-R writing software is employed so as to control such a writing operation that original data, music information, and the like are written into a CD-R in a format reproducible in a CD-ROM drive in accordance with such a data arrangement of a CD.
Although the original data may be written into the CD-R by way of the CD-R writing software, the data writing speed is very slow. Also, erroneous writing operation will occur due to a buffer under run and/or a media failure. As a result, a speed test and/or a writing test are necessarily required. Unless the written CD-R is tested by using a computer equipped with a CD player and a CD-ROM drive, a large number of CDs could not be copied, or duplicated while using this written CD-R as a master CD-R disc. In other words, a series of the above-explained works must be required until a technically complete master CD-R disc could be obtained.
The present invention has been made to solve the above described problems, and therefore, has an object to provide such a CD-R system in a computer software form in such a manner that while a virtual CD-R system containing both a virtual CD-R drive and a virtual CD-R disc is constituted on a computer, a virtual CD can be quickly formed in a very simple manner by clicking a virtual device displayed on windows (display screen) by way of a mouse and the like. At the same time, after the virtual CD has been tested by a reproducing test and an implementation test within the computer, an actual CD-R can be readily and quickly formed from the virtual CD-R while this tested virtual CD is used as a master virtual CD-R.
The present invention is directed to a CD system, and the above-explained object of the present invention may be achieved by that while original data is processed, a virtual CD-R system is constituted in a storage means employed in a computer, by which a virtual CD can be formed in accordance with a structural requirement of a CD, and this virtual CD-R system can be recognized as a CD-R drive by way of CD-R writing software, and furthermore, software capable of forming an actual CD-R from the virtual CD-R is provided.
Also, the object of the present invention may be achieved by providing such a CD system in which: a virtual CD-R system is constructed in a storage means employed in a computer, and the virtual CD-R system is recognized in a similar manner to an actual CD-R drive by way of normal actual CD-R writing software, and the virtual CD-R system can be accessed and can form a virtual CD-R by using the normal actual. CD-R writing software; and in which: the CD system is comprised of a virtual drive panel capable of performing such operations that the virtual CD is inserted with respect to a virtual drive, a virtual blank CD is formed/mounted, and the virtual CD is ejected; and also capable of displaying such operation conditions as reading/writing of the virtual drive.
Furthermore, the above-described object of the present invention may be achieved by that a program capable of cooperating a CD-R writing program part, a virtual CD-R interface program part, and a virtual CD-R drive program part, is stored into a storage means employed in a computer; the CD-R writing program part is capable of performing a CD-R writing operation with respect to a virtual CD-R drive in a similar manner to that of an actual CD-R; the virtual CD-R interface program part is capable of realizing a user interface and a control operation, which are required for the virtual CD-R drive; and also the virtual CD-R drive program part is capable of constructing and controlling the virtual CD-R.